DPW Director Greg Nuttelman talks to the Easthampton City Council about recent sinkhole issues at its Oct. 7 meeting.
Photo credit: E-Media
EASTHAMPTON – The Easthampton City Council received updates on several issues the city faces at its Oct. 7 meeting, including infrastructure and financial backlog concerns.
For Easthampton residents, two sinkholes that opened on Ferry Street last week have caused transportation headaches that will likely last several more weeks. DPW Director Greg Nuttelman gave the council an overview of the issue and updates on the department’s work to fix the problem.
According to Nuttelman, the department received word that a small sinkhole opened on Oct. 1. He explained that this is not uncommon in a city with aging infrastructure because joints and blocks deteriorate. The department found the issue, filled the sinkhole, reopened the street and continues to monitor the situation. Given the significant truck activity on the street, the department added more material to fill the hole.
However, on Monday, Oct. 5, another sinkhole opened. Following further investigation. Nuttelman discovered that a large pipe, approximately seven feet in diameter and 20 to 25 feet underground, connected to the old power plant, had broken and caused a much larger issue. Given the scope of the new project, the city reached out to outside contractors who are now working to fix the issue.
Nuttleman described the damage as a “pretty complex situation” and said he anticipates the work will take several weeks to complete. He also encouraged people to stay away from the area so that crews can repair the damage as quickly as possible.
The council approved a $9,540 transfer from the reserve fund to pay for additional hours in the auditor’s office to catch up on work from FY 26. Given its efforts to tighten up systems in the city departments, Mayor Salem Derby noted that he doesn’t anticipate this being an issue in the future.
City employees are “doing our best to make sure everything else is on track,” said Derby. The backlog of work last year was one of the reasons why the budget shortfall wasn’t known until the spring. Many city councilors noted that such a situation cannot happen again.
City Council President Koni Denham provided an update on an open meeting complaint regarding the council’s handling of the Town Lodging House at 75 Oliver St. She explained that the city solicitor has been granted more time by the attorney general to process information about the complaint.
